ALLIANCE ANNUAL REPORT
Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the
The Dow Chemical Company (Dow)
May 19, 2005

I. Alliance Background

Date Signed

January 13, 2003

Date Renewed

May 26, 2004

Evaluation Period

January 13, 2004 – January 12, 2005

Overview

The OSHA and The Dow Chemical Company Alliance focuses on using OSHA's and Dow's collective
expertise to further enhance a culture of prevention while sharing proven practices and technical
knowledge in the areas of, but not limited to, process safety management (PSM) and ergonomics.

Implementation Team Meeting
Implementation Team Meeting
Implementation Team Meeting

III. Results

Events and Products

Outreach and Communication Goals

Develop and disseminate information on effective elements of safety and health programs at
conferences, events, or through print and electronic media.

Products

Ammonia Refrigeration eTool

Representatives from the OSHA and Dow Alliance worked with representatives from the American Meat
Institute, another Alliance Program participant, to develop OSHA's Ammonia Refrigeration eTool,
which was launched in July 2004. The following representatives from Dow serve as members of the
editorial board for the eTool:

Randy Estep, The Dow Chemical Company; Houston, TX

Don Jones, The Dow Chemical Company; Plaquemine, LA

Mark Spence, The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, MI

OSHA's Safety and Health Topic Pages

The OSHA Chemical Reactivity Hazards Safety and Health Topics page is maintained as a product of the
Alliances between OSHA and The Dow Chemical Company and the Reactives Alliance signatories. Kenan
Stevick represents the Dow Chemical Company as a member of the editorial board for the Topics page.

Additionally, representatives of the OSHA-Dow Alliance serve on the editorial boards of the
following OSHA Safety and Health Topics pages:

The OSHA and Dow Alliance Web page on the OSHA Web site includes links to the Alliance agreement and
related documents, activities and events, milestones and successes, and products of the Alliance
such as the Ammonia Refrigeration eTool and the ergonomics case study entitled, "The Dow Chemical
Company's Use of the 'Six Sigma' Methodology." For more information on the number of visits to the
OSHA and Dow Alliance Web page, please see the Alliance Program Reach table on page 7.

Print and Electronic Media

Articles on the OSHA and Dow Alliance, and products developed through it, have appeared in a number
of print and online publications, including: USNewswire.com, BNA Occupational
Safety and Health Reporter, Facilities Management News, Occupational Health and Safety E-News,
and OSHA's press releases, QuickTakes and Alliance
Quarterly Review. For more information on the articles, please see the Alliance Program Reach table
on page 7.

Gain a better understanding of the diversity of methods and processes for addressing health and
safety challenges in the workplace. Develop ways for communicating effective approaches, including
cross-training, job aids, and usability studies.

Events

Process Safety Management Workshop

Building on the success of a PSM seminar, "OSHA's Process Safety Management (PSM) Standard: The Dow
Approach," hosted by the OSHA and Dow Alliance in September 2003 at the OSHA Training Institute in
Arlington Heights, Illinois for Region V staff, the Alliance held a second PSM workshop on October
13-14, 2004. The OSHA and Dow Alliance presented the workshop at the Dow Chemical Company's
Louisiana Operations, Plaquemine, Louisiana. The workshop was attended by 16 OSHA staff from OSHA's
Regions IV and VI and North Carolina Department of Labor, an OSHA state plan state. It covered how
Dow addresses and implements the OSHA's PSM standard in its workplaces and included time for
attendees to tour Dow's Plaquemine, Louisiana facility.

Provide OSHA with opportunities, where appropriate and agreeable to both parties, to experience
hands-on information sharing in Dow's facilities to "test run" ideas and to gain a better
understanding for real world impact and applications.

During this evaluation period, no products or resources have been developed to meet this Alliance
goal.

Promoting the National Dialogue on Workplace Safety and Health Goals

Encourage Dow worksites, and personnel to act as industry liaisons and resources for OSHA's
cooperative programs and Compliance Assistance Specialists.

During this evaluation period, no products or resources were developed to meet this Alliance goal.

Seek opportunities to participate in stakeholder groups and other forums for providing input into
the development of safety and health standards and guidance for the chemical industry.

During this evaluation period, no products or resources were developed to meet this Alliance goal.

Identify and enhance methods and processes to evaluate the effectiveness of the Alliance and to
encourage the continuous improvement of workplace health and safety practices and communication.

During this evaluation period, no products or resources were developed to meet this Alliance goal.

Share information on proven practices of Dow worksites with others in industry through outreach
directly by Dow and also through OSHA.

Ergonomics Case Study: "The Dow Chemical Company's Use of the 'Six Sigma'
Methodology"

Through the Alliance Program, Dow worked with OSHA to develop an ergonomics case study, "The Dow
Chemical Company's Use of the 'Six Sigma' Methodology," which was published on May 26, 2005. The
ergonomics case study discusses how Dow has applied the "Six Sigma" management system strategy to
identify and implement ergonomics solutions. ("Six Sigma" is a process-oriented approach to problem
solving that emphasizes a four-step improvement methodology of measure, analyze, improve and
control). The ergonomics case study is available on the OSHA and Dow Alliance Web page of OSHA's Web
site. Two motor vehicle safety case studies are in development.

Work together to develop new approaches and practices to address health and safety risks.

During this evaluation period, no products or resources have been developed to meet this Alliance
goal.

Share data supporting the solutions to ergonomic hazards developed by Dow, as well as examples of
hazard recognition strategies and analytical tools with OSHA and others in the industry to encourage
wide implementation. Promote their implementation through print and/or electronic media, promotion
at conferences, or other means of reaching out to others in industry.

Event

AAOS Ergonomics Meeting, Washington, DC, May 14, 2004

Karen Kerns, Senior Industrial Hygienist, Global Industrial Hygiene Expertise Center, The Dow
Chemical Company, attended a meeting May 14, 2004, in Washington, DC, which was hosted by the
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), an Alliance Program participant. AAOS invited OSHA
staff and Alliance Program participants to discuss their recent ergonomic projects and activities.
Ms. Kerns made a presentation to Alliance Program participants, including AAOS, the Graphics Arts
Coalition (GAC) and the American Society of Safety Engineers, on a new workplace quantitative
ergonomics risk assessment tool.

Executive Summary

OSHA and Dow have worked together through the Alliance Program during the past year to further
enhance a culture of prevention while sharing proven practices and technical knowledge in the areas
of, but not limited to, PSM and ergonomics.

Following a successful first year, OSHA and Dow renewed their Alliance for two years on May 26,
2004. On the same date, OSHA launched an ergonomics case study developed by the OSHA and Dow
Alliance implementation team. The case study, "The Dow Chemical Company's Use of the 'Six Sigma'
Methodology," discusses how Dow has applied the "Six Sigma" management system strategy to identify
and implement ergonomics solutions. The ergonomics case study is available on the OSHA and Dow
Alliance Web page of OSHA's Web site as well as the Agency's Ergonomics Safety and Health Topics
page and Compliance Assistance Web page. The Alliance implementation team is working on two
additional case studies on fleet safety and site motor vehicle safety. The fleet safety case study
describes Dow's efforts to work with its motor carrier contractors to enhance safety through a
behavior-based safety program. The site motor vehicle safety case study describes Dow's approach to
reducing motor vehicle accidents by its employees, either driving to client sites or on site at Dow
facilities.

During the past year, the Dow Alliance implementation team has also contributed to the development
of OSHA's compliance assistance products. Representatives from the OSHA-Dow Alliance worked
collaboratively with representatives from the American Meat Institute, another Alliance Program
participate, to develop OSHA's Ammonia Refrigeration eTool. The eTool, which was launched in July
2004, includes information on receiving and storage, emergency response, and general safety as well
as a plant safety self-inspection checklist. Dow Alliance members also worked with representatives
from the Reactives Alliance to develop the Chemical Reactivity Hazards Safety and Health Topics
page, which was launched in December 2004. Dow representatives continued to serve on the editorial
boards of a number of OSHA Safety and Health Topics pages, including Isocyanates and PSM,

Building on the success of a PSM seminar, "OSHA's Process Safety Management (PSM) Standard: The Dow
Approach," hosted by the OSHA and Dow Alliance in September 2003 at the OSHA Training Institute in
Arlington Heights, Illinois for Region V staff, the Alliance held a second PSM workshop on October
13-14, 2004. The second seminar was held at the Dow Chemical Company's Louisiana Operations,
Plaquemine, Louisiana. The workshop was attended by 16 OSHA staff from OSHA's Regions IV and VI and
North Carolina Department of Labor, a state plan state. It covered how Dow addresses and implements
the OSHA's PSM standard in its workplaces and included a tour of Dow's Plaquemine, Louisiana,
facility. Speakers at the seminar included the following Dow representatives: Don Jones, Regulatory
Affairs Department; George King, Senior Technology Associate; Tim Overton, Chief Process Safety
Engineer; and Sheila Van Geffen, Process Safety Technology Leader.

During the Alliance's second year, representatives from Dow identified opportunities to share
ergonomics information with other Alliance Program participants. Karen Kerns, Senior Industrial
Hygienist, Global Industrial Hygiene Expertise Center, The Dow Chemical Company, attended a meeting
May 14, 2004, in Washington, DC, which was hosted by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
(AAOS), an Alliance Program participant. AAOS invited OSHA staff and Alliance Program participants
to discuss their recent ergonomic projects and activities. Ms. Kerns made a presentation to Alliance
Program participants, including AAOS, the Graphics Arts Coalition and the American Society of Safety
Engineers, on a new workplace quantitative ergonomics risk assessment tool.

The OSHA and Dow Alliance implementation team developed several resources with information about the
Alliance, ergonomics, PSM and other safety and health resources. The OSHA and Dow Alliance Web page
on the OSHA Web site features links to related documents, activities and events, and milestones and
successes. It includes links to several products of the Dow and OSHA Alliance such as the Ammonia
Refrigeration eTool, the Chemical Reactivity Hazards Safety and Health Topics page, and the
ergonomics case study, "The Dow Chemical Company's Use of the 'Six Sigma' Methodology."

Through the Alliance, OSHA and Dow will continue to enhance a culture of prevention while sharing
proven practices and technical knowledge in the areas of, but not limited to, PSM and ergonomics.
The Alliance implementation team has identified a number of projects for the upcoming year.

Representatives from Dow will attend the OSHA Alliance Program Hazard Communication Roundtable,
which is scheduled for February 15, 2005. The Roundtable will give Alliance Program participants an
opportunity to learn about the status of OSHA's Hazard Communication Initiative; share information
about their own Alliances, including any activities related to Hazard Communication; and learn about
what other Alliances are doing to address Hazard Communication issues. The Roundtable also will
enable Alliance Program participants to establish workgroups and identify projects they can work on
together to develop Hazard Communication-related compliance assistance resources.

Dow has agreed to discuss the ergonomic products, activities and successes of its Alliance with OSHA
at the National Safety Congress in Orlando, Florida on September 22, 2005. Dow will participate in a
panel discussion entitled, "Successes of OSHA's Ergonomic Alliances," with representatives from OSHA
and other Alliance Program participants, including the Graphic Arts Coalition, and the National
Telecommunications Safety Panel.

Dow has also agreed to host another PSM seminar for OSHA staff. The members of the Alliance
implementation team are working to identify a site that would afford attendees the opportunity to
tour one of Dow's facilities as part of the programs. A possible location has been identified in
Region III.

The OSHA and Dow Alliance implementation team will complete and post two case studies that address
motor vehicle safety issues to OSHA's Web site. One case study addresses fleet safety and the other
addresses site motor vehicle safety.

Dow representatives will continue to provide technical expertise and serve on the editorial boards
of the Ammonia Refrigeration eTool, and the Ammonia Refrigeration, Chemical Reactivity Hazards,
Isocyanates and PSM Safety and Health Topics pages. In addition, Dow will provide review and provide
comments on relevant draft OSHA publications.